Every Yesterday (Boot Creek)

by Nancy Naigle

  Is she escorting me out? Did I insult her? It wouldn’t be the first time I’d said something that pissed a woman off, but I didn’t mean to . . . this time. He retraced the conversation, but then Megan stopped in the hallway and opened a closet.

  Well, it looked like a closet, but it wasn’t. It was a set of stairs.

  He pointed to the metal stairs. They looked almost like diamond plate. “To the special place?”

  She grinned.

  “Nice. I feel like I’m in a mystery movie or something.”

  With each step there was a loud clang. You couldn’t tippy-toe up these things easily. The metal echoed in the cinder block cavern. When she reached the top, she placed her finger on an electronic keypad.

  “Don’t tell me that it’s fingerprint access control.”

  “Okay. I won’t.”

  “I may be falling in love with you.” He’d said it as a joke, but it wasn’t all that far-fetched. This girl was his kind of girl.

  “Oh, there will be none of that, my friend.”

  A girl after his own heart.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She pushed her shoulder against the heavy metal door and stepped outside. “My secret place.”

  He stepped onto the rooftop behind her.

  “It’s everything I need when I need to get my wits about me.” Megan walked across the sparsely decorated space. She opened the door of a weatherproof unit. Inside, a wine chiller, full of beer, glowed a bright blue. “Beer?”

  “Nice.”

  She took two out and popped the tops on the old-fashioned bottle opener attached to the side of the door, then handed him one.

  The only thing up there was a double chaise lounge. She lifted the canvas tarp from it to show him.

  “This is great.”

  “It’s better when the mosquitos aren’t swarming.” She swatted one on her neck.

  He swatted one on his arm. “They are hungry little critters, aren’t they?”

  “Yeah. Not a good night to hang out here.”

  “Maybe another time.”

  “Maybe,” she walked to the door. “Let’s go inside before we’re eaten up so bad we itch through the whole wedding ceremony on Saturday. Angie would kill us for that.”

  “That wouldn’t look good, would it?”

  She let him go ahead of her and she closed the door and locked it.

  He went down the stairs, his steps sounding heavy, hers softer right behind him.

  He wasn’t ready to call it a night.

  He hoped she wasn’t either.

  There was an awkward moment when she closed the secret staircase behind her. If he didn’t say something now, he’d be out the door.

  “Mind if I stay and have another beer with you?”

  She hesitated, and his ego took a slight blow, like he was getting ready to get the kibosh.

  “I’d like that.” She gave him a smile that sent his pulse racing.

  They went back to Megan’s apartment, and Noah couldn’t help but glance down the hall to the left toward the garage where the DeSoto was parked. That car was going to look so good in his collection.

  Megan set her beer on the coffee table, then sat on the couch.

  Noah sat down beside her, a respectable distance from Megan. His arm slung over the back of the couch, he turned to face her. “I’ve really enjoyed being with you tonight. Thank you.”

  “Me too. You’re easy to be with.”

  A loud pop made Megan groan.

  “What was that?”

  “My air-conditioning.” Her voice broke. “Sit tight. I’ve been babying this old system these last few weeks, trying to not put a new one in until next year. It keeps tripping the breaker.”

  She jaunted off with a confidence that let him know she’d handled this situation a time or two. But nonetheless, he said, “Need me to look at it? I’m pretty handy.”

  “Thanks, but no. I’ve had the electrician jury-rig it to get me through. I’m riding on borrowed time here. The holidays are always a big quarter for me. I’ll replace it after that. I won’t need it in a few more weeks anyway.”

  She needed the money. Sweet. That would make the big dollars he was getting ready to offer her for that car even more appealing. His hopes soared. It really was going to happen. Any other car he wouldn’t have any doubt at all, but this was the one car he just couldn’t seem to get.

  She came back into the room and raised a hand in line with the vent overhead. “Sorry about that. See. It’s working fine now.”

  “You have the magic touch.”

  “Good thing. It’s going to cost a lot to do it right. I want to put my apartment and the workshop and storage all on separate zones. The candles need to maintain a constant temperature and humidity level. Plus, if down the line I decide to rent parts of it out, I can already have those services on separate boxes.”

  “Good planning.” And just as he was going to suggest she sell the car to pay for it, she sat right next to him on the couch.

  “I’m glad I met you,” she said.

  He couldn’t tell her exactly what he was thinking. Not without getting slapped, so he squelched those thoughts and took it down to a gentlemanly pace. “Meeting you has been a really nice addition to this trip.”

  Didn’t she know her perfume had his nerves sizzling? That if she tossed her hair back one more time, he was going to kiss her perfect neck? But damn if he would screw up his best friend’s wedding by making it with the maid of honor. He couldn’t take the chance of misreading a little innocent flirting.

  She leaned in and kissed him.

  And all bets are off. He smiled, lowering his mouth to hers. Eager to really kiss her like she deserved to be kissed.

  She arched into the cradle of his arms, taking in the heat of his kiss.

  “Nice,” he said. “Very nice. You’re trouble, young lady.” He leaned back, determined to keep his wits about him.

  “I guess you’d better leave then.” But the look in her eyes was a flat-out dare.

  He squeezed his eyes shut and dropped his head back. “You don’t know how much I don’t want to leave. But if I don’t, it might get really awkward on wedding day.”

  She giggled. “I’m not the one getting married. Now that would make it awkward.”

  “Oh, yeah, that would be bad.” He ran his finger under her chin. He wanted to experience all of her.

  She caught his finger playfully in her teeth, a seductive smile playing on her pink lips. “We’re both single adults.” Her eyebrow lifted, and that sent his hormones adrift.

  “I like you. I want you.” He pulled her in for another kiss. “Maybe I could stay.”

  “You should.”

  “You sure about this?” Why the hell was he asking? Don’t give her a chance to back out now.

  She returned the kiss. That was answer enough.

  And for the first time in a long time, all those walls he normally kept up, seemed to be crashing down. Because this girl seemed different. Somehow. And as confusing as it was, he had every intention of enjoying it while the moment lasted.

  He scooped her into his arms and carried her toward the hall. “Which way?”

  “I wondered where you thought you were taking me.”

  “To the closest spot to lay you down and run my hands up this luscious body of yours, before I completely unravel.”

  She pointed to her bedroom door.

  He pulled his arm out from under her knees, letting her stand.

  Her hands slid down his chest as her feet touched the floor.

  Leaning forward he brushed his lips at the nape of her neck and made contact with the soft skin between her shoulder and ear.

  She gasped. Arching her back as if wanting to get away and be closer to him at the same time.

  “Can I undress you?” Not something he’d ever asked before. This little lady was tugging him into new territory. He wanted her, but in a tender way.

  Without a word, she nodded, and began wor
king his belt as he undressed her. Slowly caressing her skin, leaving a trail of chill bumps behind his fingertips.

  “You’re beautiful,” he said, laying her back onto the bed and stretching out beside her in no hurry.

  He looked into her eyes and then shifted up on an elbow to look into her eyes, kissing her softly on each of her eyelids. “You’re not like anyone I’ve ever known.” And he didn’t really even know her yet. But he wanted to.

  “You’ve been a surprise too,” she said.

  His lips caught hers as his warm palm made a path between her breasts and then slowly but firmly continued to her belly and over the parts of her that were warm and lifting to meet him. A guttural groan escaped as he sucked in a breath and trailed kisses from her mouth to meet his hand.

  Roaming her every curve with his mouth in his own sweet time, he settled his cheek against her soft inner thigh.

  Megan pushed her fingers through his thick hair while he kissed his way up to her belly and the sexy curve between her breasts and back down again. She squirmed, pressing herself up against him.

  She felt a rush of desire, and at this moment she didn’t care who won—her head or her heart—as long as it didn’t make her stop.

  Closing her eyes, she tried to relax. She gulped in a breath of air, her body wanting to retreat from the feeling of losing control, but wanting it even more. She pressed her eyes closed. Seeing the colors, feeling the rhythms and the music in her head that let her enjoy every moment.

  She reached for him, guiding his face to meet her parting lips. Her breaths matching his with each kiss. Each push. Every increase of intensity.

  Their breathing grew heavier, hearts pounding, as they both moaned in anticipation of what was to come. Noah rolled Megan over flat on her back, pausing only a moment as he smoothed her hair out on the bed around her, tracing his hand over her face, her lips.

  “I want you.” He’d fought the feelings, pushed them aside thinking they couldn’t be real, but they were. He needed Megan. He wanted her. She made him feel alive in a way he’d never felt before. Honest and true.

  She mouthed something that never made it into words. Instead, she pulled him back into a kiss. Her body responded to his warmth. She inhaled his sexy scent, awareness tingling through her.

  As if he knew, his strong hands eased over her curves.

  Her body reacted to the connection, bucking as she gasped. Her back arched as if she had no control of her body as it danced its own rhythm to his every move.

  A perfect beat, and it climbed in intensity, but he was in control of the pace. Forcing her to give in to the pleasure and let go completely.

  Breathless and sweating, she rested her head in the safe cradle of his arm.

  Blinking her eyes against the sun, Megan turned over and picked up her phone off of the nightstand.

  Nine fourteen.

  And a reminder.

  The spa. This was the morning she, Angie, Katy, and Flynn were all meeting at the spa for a day of pampering. Good lord, she’d set the thing up. How could she have forgotten?

  She looked over at Noah, tan all the way to where the sheet covered his lower half. That had been one night to remember. Somehow waking him and shooing him away so she could meet the girls at the spa seemed tacky.

  She slipped out of bed and quietly got dressed.

  I can’t just leave him. She grabbed a piece of paper from the hall, jotted a quick note, and then tiptoed back into her bedroom.

  He hadn’t moved.

  She laid the note on her pillow and left.

  Holding her breath until she made it all the way out to her car, she let out a sigh of relief. She had just enough time to still make it to the spa on time. If she hurried.

  Thank goodness the other girls were riding separately. That would have been awkward as heck if someone had called with him lying there right beside her in bed.

  No. The girls did not need to know that she’d slept with the best man. Before the wedding? Nearly a complete stranger? No, ma’am. That was a little tidbit of information that she’d keep to herself. He’d be gone next week, and that would be that.

  She’d planned to stop and pick up some supplies while she was in Raleigh this morning before meeting up with the girls, but those plans had been chucked after that first toe-curling kiss from Noah. And if she showed up late, it was going to be hard as heck to keep her night with Noah from the girls.

  Pushing her car to make up some time, her wheels squealed out of the turn on the on-ramp. She loved driving her VW. It handled like a dream. Kind of like Noah last night. She smiled. Satisfied and ready to see him again.

  She pulled into the parking lot with just a couple of minutes to spare. Thank goodness she hadn’t gotten a ticket. She’d deserved one fair and square, but it would have put her late for sure.

  She checked herself in the mirror. Her lips were swollen from way too many kisses, and her cheeks were red. Whisker burn from that sexy scruff. A small price to pay for one heckuva night.

  Hopefully she’d be able to hide it from the girls until after the facials. Then she could blame the products.

  Katy pulled into the lot just as Megan was getting ready to open the door. She waved and waited for her.

  “Glad I’m not late,” Katy said. “Derek was in one amorous mood last night.”

  “Must have been the full moon.” Whatever it was, she hoped there was more to come.

  “Can’t believe how fast the days are going,” Katy said. “Can you believe the wedding is almost here?”

  “No. For the longest time it seemed so far off. Now I feel like it’s snuck up on us.”

  “I’m so ready for this day. I need to relax,” Katy said.

  As soon as they walked into the spa, a herd of red-lipsticked, white-coated, clinician-looking types practically attacked them.

  Angie and Flynn were already sipping mimosas. “Hey!”

  “Looks like y’all have a head start on us,” Katy teased.

  They were led back to a room that had already been set up for their group. Up to six people could get facials, manicures, and pedicures at one time in the luxurious room. On one wall stacked stone reached from floor to ceiling in soft weathered tones of tans and blues with water trickling down into a pond.

  The room glowed with soft light, and Megan felt a little like she was in the middle of this weird water ballet as the white-coated women all seemed to descend at once—leaning them back in their plush leather chairs and clicking on the lights and steam machines.

  She closed her eyes. Last night things with Noah had gotten steamier than this facial. As the aesthetician cleansed, exfoliated, and lathered luxurious creams into her skin, Megan couldn’t help but smile with Noah Black still on her mind. She wouldn’t soon forget last night.

  Her chair was electronically moving to the upright position. When she opened her eyes, the other girls were being moved too. Flynn on her left and Angie on her right, they all had pink glowing skin.

  “Do y’all feel as relaxed as you look?” Flynn asked.

  “I hope so,” Angie said. “And we haven’t even gotten to the massages yet.

  A new crew of four white-coated women filed into the room. They filled the footbaths with warm water and blue foamy suds then pressed the buttons on the electronic panels on the massage chairs.

  “Now this is what I’m talking about,” Angie said as the rolling massager made her arch and ebb like a possessed woman. “I totally should have put one of these on my bridal registry.”

  “We should go in on one together,” Megan agreed. “We can keep it at my shop.”

  “Or the inn,” Katy offered.

  “Or the B&B,” Flynn said. “I think we’d fight over it. Maybe this isn’t a good idea. Megan, what did you do to your leg? That looks painful.”

  “What?” Megan twisted her hip. A swatch of turquoise paint looked like a gnarly bruise. She’d roll with it, only as soon as the pedicurist massaged that lotion into her leg, it was going to
disappear. Awkward.

  “What’s wrong?” Angie leaned forward in her chair.

  “It’s nothing.” Megan hoped they’d let it go. “Y’all relax.”

  “That is not nothing.” Flynn’s forehead creased in concern. “It’s got to hurt like heck.”

  “It’s paint. I must have missed it when I was in the shower.”

  “Paint?” Flynn and Angie both leaned forward.

  “Stop speculating.” Megan knew they’d leap to conclusions. At least they hadn’t noticed her lips. The kissing would be way harder to explain away. “I was working on a project.”

  “That’s great!” Angie reached across and grabbed Megan’s hands. “You have so much talent. I’m so excited that you’re painting again.”

  “It’s not like that. I’m not.”

  “But you can. I mean. It’s a start. Right?” Angie looked so hopeful. But either way this story was going to disappoint. She wasn’t going to paint. And she wasn’t going to be with Noah. So she just let it go, closing her eyes and hoping they’d do the same.

  “This is quiet time.” Megan looked at the gal who had pulled her rolling chair up to start on her pedicure. “Right? Tell them to be quiet and enjoy this.”

  “Enjoy,” the woman said softly. “Your friend is a little bossy.”

  “Oh, great. My own girl is turning on me.” But Megan was glad because the joke seemed to get everyone focused on relaxing instead of her.

  A few minutes later, Katy said, “Megan, I didn’t know you were an artist. I mean, I knew you were a craftsman, but the painting . . . I hadn’t heard that.”

  “It’s old news,” Megan said.

  “Is not.” Angie turned to Katy. “That mural on the side of the building at the intersection of Cabot and Main. Megan did that.”

  “You’re kidding? That is so pretty.”

  “And paintings. She even won some art shows. Used to even sell some pieces.”

  “I had no idea. I’m so impressed. You’ve got to show me your work,” Katy said. “We should display some of it at our place. For the retreat.”

  “That would be perfect,” Angie said. Her voice was rising the way it did when she got excited.

  “Y’all slow down. I’m not painting again.”

  Angie leaned over to Katy. “She only paints when she’s totally in love with someone or something. A guy broke her heart. Hasn’t painted since.”